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Marion to Newport, VA

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    • Marion to Newport, VA

      And we're back! Me and my knee survived, but I may have killed a couple of toenails, also a few beers and quite a few whiskey/moonshine shots. 169.9 miles in 13 days, 15 mountains, shortest day was about 7 miles, longest 18.8 miles. It was a fairly tough section with several big climbs. I'll try and do a write up this week. Here's our finishing celebration picture.
      "Dazed and Confused"
      Recycle, re-use, re-purpose
      Plant a tree
      Take a kid hiking
      Make a difference
    • Popcorn's in the microwave.

      Did you finish at Route 42 in Sinking Creek Valley? Nice gentle descent through the farm fields.

      And my daughter turned down my offer of a toenail necklace. Go figure...
      Trudgin' along the AT since 2003. Completed Sections: Springer Mountain to Clingmans Dome and Max Patch NC to Gorham NH

      "The days I keep my gratitude higher than my expectations...those are pretty good days." Ray Wylie Hubbard
    • StalkingTortoise wrote:

      Popcorn's in the microwave.

      Did you finish at Route 42 in Sinking Creek Valley? Nice gentle descent through the farm fields.

      And my daughter turned down my offer of a toenail necklace. Go figure...
      finished at 624, I think, it's the road that Four Pines Hostel is on. It was a finish after climbing up to Dragons Tooth and then down it-it won't easy and I'm still feeling it.
      "Dazed and Confused"
      Recycle, re-use, re-purpose
      Plant a tree
      Take a kid hiking
      Make a difference
    • jimmyjam wrote:

      StalkingTortoise wrote:

      Popcorn's in the microwave.

      Did you finish at Route 42 in Sinking Creek Valley? Nice gentle descent through the farm fields.

      And my daughter turned down my offer of a toenail necklace. Go figure...
      finished at 624, I think, it's the road that Four Pines Hostel is on. It was a finish after climbing up to Dragons Tooth and then down it-it won't easy and I'm still feeling it.
      Hurt my knee around Dragon's Tooth in 2014. Ended up cutting that hike short.
      The road to glory cannot be followed with much baggage.
      Richard Ewell, CSA General
    • Did you stop at the Homeplace in Catawba? It was closed when I went through, alas. I've heard good things. I did the 45 miles from Stony Creek Rd (VA 635) to Four Pines a few years ago. I camped at John's Creek, the top of Sinking Creek Mtn, and at Trout Creek. I only used shelters for meals and breaks. I also had knee problems, but that was before Dragon's Tooth. I had go up and down Dragon's Tooth with one good leg to get to the hostel. That was fun. Sinking Creek Mountain and the valley just before it (at VA 42 and VA 63) were my favorite parts. I took a day off to rest the knee and then hiked up and down the McAfee Knob Trail as a day hike.
    • odd man out wrote:

      Did you stop at the Homeplace in Catawba? It was closed when I went through, alas. I've heard good things. I did the 45 miles from Stony Creek Rd (VA 635) to Four Pines a few years ago. I camped at John's Creek, the top of Sinking Creek Mtn, and at Trout Creek. I only used shelters for meals and breaks. I also had knee problems, but that was before Dragon's Tooth. I had go up and down Dragon's Tooth with one good leg to get to the hostel. That was fun. Sinking Creek Mountain and the valley just before it (at VA 42 and VA 63) were my favorite parts. I took a day off to rest the knee and then hiked up and down the McAfee Knob Trail as a day hike.
      I've eaten there, but not as a hiker. The toasting picture is us at the gas station/convince store just down the road eating BBQS and drinking beer under the sign that says "No drinking alcohol on site" lol.
      "Dazed and Confused"
      Recycle, re-use, re-purpose
      Plant a tree
      Take a kid hiking
      Make a difference
    • jimmyjam wrote:

      StalkingTortoise wrote:

      Popcorn's in the microwave.

      Did you finish at Route 42 in Sinking Creek Valley? Nice gentle descent through the farm fields.

      And my daughter turned down my offer of a toenail necklace. Go figure...
      finished at 624, I think, it's the road that Four Pines Hostel is on. It was a finish after climbing up to Dragons Tooth and then down it-it won't easy and I'm still feeling it.
      Got it. That's where I finished my Pearisburg north section before moving south and adding Route 606 (Trent's Store) back to Pearisburg.
      Trudgin' along the AT since 2003. Completed Sections: Springer Mountain to Clingmans Dome and Max Patch NC to Gorham NH

      "The days I keep my gratitude higher than my expectations...those are pretty good days." Ray Wylie Hubbard
    • jimmyjam wrote:

      And we're back! Me and my knee survived, but I may have killed a couple of toenails, also a few beers and quite a few whiskey/moonshine shots. 169.9 miles in 13 days, 15 mountains, shortest day was about 7 miles, longest 18.8 miles. It was a fairly tough section with several big climbs. I'll try and do a write up this week. Here's our finishing celebration picture.

      Glad you went, glad you came back, glad you had fun.
      I may grow old but I'll never grow up.
    • jimmyjam wrote:

      And we're back! Me and my knee survived, but I may have killed a couple of toenails, also a few beers and quite a few whiskey/moonshine shots. 169.9 miles in 13 days, 15 mountains, shortest day was about 7 miles, longest 18.8 miles. It was a fairly tough section with several big climbs. I'll try and do a write up this week. Here's our finishing celebration picture.

      I did manage to do a write up on FB (yes I caved and joined)- I guess I can copy and paste the write up here if you guys don't want to look over there??
      "Dazed and Confused"
      Recycle, re-use, re-purpose
      Plant a tree
      Take a kid hiking
      Make a difference
    • jimmyjam wrote:

      jimmyjam wrote:

      And we're back! Me and my knee survived, but I may have killed a couple of toenails, also a few beers and quite a few whiskey/moonshine shots. 169.9 miles in 13 days, 15 mountains, shortest day was about 7 miles, longest 18.8 miles. It was a fairly tough section with several big climbs. I'll try and do a write up this week. Here's our finishing celebration picture.

      I did manage to do a write up on FB (yes I caved and joined)- I guess I can copy and paste the write up here if you guys don't want to look over there??
      I don't do Facebook so I would appreciate it if you do the copy and paste thing
    • odd man out wrote:

      Did you stop at the Homeplace in Catawba? It was closed when I went through, alas. I've heard good things. I did the 45 miles from Stony Creek Rd (VA 635) to Four Pines a few years ago. I camped at John's Creek, the top of Sinking Creek Mtn, and at Trout Creek. I only used shelters for meals and breaks. I also had knee problems, but that was before Dragon's Tooth. I had go up and down Dragon's Tooth with one good leg to get to the hostel. That was fun. Sinking Creek Mountain and the valley just before it (at VA 42 and VA 63) were my favorite parts. I took a day off to rest the knee and then hiked up and down the McAfee Knob Trail as a day hike.
      Took my husband to Homeplace a number of years ago when we visited his sister in Roanoke. We loved it.

      My daughter and I are going to my niece/her cousin's baby shower over Memorial Weekend and I told her I'd like to leave as early on Friday as possible so we can eat at the Homeplace that evening. It's about a 10 hr drive.

      I asked her if she would hike up to McAfee's Knob with me on Saturday before the shower and her reply "ONLY IF THERE ARE NO CATERPILLARS RAINING DOWN ON US". This hearkens back to 2006 when I was taking her to Lowell, Massachusetts for her internship. Since we had to cross over the AT at some point in Massachusetts, I asked her if she would do a several hour hike on the AT with me. We parked at Greylock Community Club in North Adams and proceeded south on the AT. As soon as we got into the woods, there were mini white caterpillars raining down on us. She totally freaked out and refused to move. I had hoped that since 12 years had passed that she had forgotten about this. She had not and told me that she is still traumatized by that incident. I'm hoping that there won't be any caterpillars in VA.
    • I recall an entertaining thread on TOS a while back debating the merits of the Homeplace. One person complained (contrary to conventional wisdom) that it wasn't anything special an offered as evidence the fact they just served canned green beans. Another person assured him they used only fresh vegetables. The first person countered with the rhetorical question "Then why they were so mushy?". The response, "You're not from the south, are you."
    • odd man out wrote:

      I recall an entertaining thread on TOS a while back debating the merits of the Homeplace. One person complained (contrary to conventional wisdom) that it wasn't anything special an offered as evidence the fact they just served canned green beans. Another person assured him they used only fresh vegetables. The first person countered with the rhetorical question "Then why they were so mushy?". The response, "You're not from the south, are you."
      I thought the food was great. Of course I was at the end of a four week LASH.
      I would suggest that anyone who complains about their food should spend a little more time walking in the woods. :)
      The road to glory cannot be followed with much baggage.
      Richard Ewell, CSA General